


A Place on Earth

by delightwrites



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Found Family, Gen, Minor Character Death, Oh also, So basically, So here they are, featuring a bunch of ocs, hopefully this will feature some epic fight scenes too, i feel like aziraphale and crowley started something bigger, i swear it's gonna end happily, like a bunch of other angels and demons deciding they had enough, local gay couple adopts a bunch of stray angels and demons, not really tho, of heaven and hell's shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-12 14:57:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21478240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delightwrites/pseuds/delightwrites
Summary: Crowley and Aziraphale started something bigger on the day of the not-apocalypse and now they have to deal with a bunch of stray angels and demons who have left heaven and hell and are very much in need of a family. meanwhile Neera, a young angel navigates the difficulties of this new life. the problem is: the head offices of above and below aren’t exactly known for giving up easily…-"Among humans, there was something called the “why?” phase. It was named so because human children of this particular age happened to be asking a ton of questions.Now, the small figure sitting on the sofa in the backroom of Aziraphale’s bookshop with crossed legs and munching on biscuits wasn’t a child, and certainly wasn’t human. Perhaps that could explain why this “why?” phase was late by a good 250 years - give or take. The tartan tray of biscuits was running out quickly and the angel Niramel was pouring out questions.‘An’ why would She put that tree there in the first place anyway?'"
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens) & Original Female Character(s), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 85





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> the first part was written as nothing more but self-indulgence but then it suddnely developed more ocs and something vaguely resembling a plot and it all kinda got out of hand so enjoy!!

Among humans, there was something called the “why?” phase. It was named so because human children of this particular age happened to be asking a ton of questions.

Now, the small figure sitting on the sofa in the backroom of Aziraphale’s bookshop with crossed legs and munching on biscuits wasn’t a child, and certainly wasn’t human. Perhaps that could explain why this “why?” phase was late by a good 250 years - give or take. The tartan tray of biscuits was running out quickly and the angel Niramel was pouring out questions.

‘An’ why would She put that tree there in the first place anyway? Why would She let them, you know, 'she gestured widely with a biscuit in her hand, throwing crumbs all around Aziraphale’s old carpit. ’… do something they aren’t supposed to?’

It’s been almost a whole year since the not-Apocalypse and the young angel tasked with discreetly keeping an eye on the principality Aziraphale was doing a rather lousy job. She’d been curious, about the angel gone native, and so she’d decided to go around her orders a little bit - without mentioning it in the memos she’d sent Upstairs, of course. “A little bit” in this case might have been an understatement, since she not-at-all-discreetly visited the bookshop, told a perplexed Aziraphale that she thinks what he and that demon had done at the End of the World was actually, in her opinion, “quite wicked”. Crowley overheard it and was pretty amused by the way this strange, barely-twenty-something-looking angel said “quite wicked”.

Niramel jumped back at the demon’s laugh. She hadn’t been born - created - yet at the time of the First War between Heaven and Hell and she’d never seen a demon before. She was told she would see one, most likely on the battlefield. She would see one, she would fight one, she would kill one. Niramel dreaded that day. But Armageddon came and went, without her having to see - or fight, or kill - a single demon.

But now there was one, laughing at her silly human expression she’d learnt the other day and smiling widely and with great fondness at the angel standing next to him, who was still trying his best to balance a stack of books in his hands.

And that was it. Niramel was quick to make friends and a renegade angel and demon were no exceptions. From that day, she was often invited for tea to the bookshop and more often than not, teatime stretched into dinner and then into late night conversations with biscuits and cocoa. Head Office didn’t mind - mostly because she didn’t tell them about any of it.

Both Aziraphale and Crowley developed some fondness for the girl (or girl-shaped-being) over time and Niramel - who was considering shortening her name to Neera, a nickname initally given to her by Crowley but stuck for some reason, for a more human sound - found herself feel safe, safer than anywhere else in the company of the two. And when Neera - yes, that worked, she could go with that - felt safe enough to be herself, that meant hours of ongoing chattering and posing questions.

'And while we are at it,’ she turned to Crowley so quickly she almost kicked the biscuit tray off the sofa. 'why did She let you lot Fall? If She didn’t want you to, then shouldn’t She have just-’

Aziraphale leaned forward from where he was sitting next to Crowley, taking a biscuit from the tray and nudging the other angel with his elbow in the process. 'I do believe that’s enough questions for tonight, dear girl.’

'But-’

’S'alright, angel.’ Crowley cut off before Niramel could start protesting and Aziraphale could start scolding her. 'As long as she’s asking them from us and not anyone Up There, it’s alright. Besides, the kid’s just curious. That’s alright, that’s good.’

Neera went silent. She hadn’t even noticed herself tiptoeing over that certain line with her questions. If she was in Heaven, this would have consequences. Dire ones, probably.

'Good?’ she asked Crowley with a careful tone. 'Do you really think so?’

'Ehm well, not good good, obviously. An angel shouldn’t go 'round asking questions. That’d be causing trouble. But I’m, personally, always one for trouble.’

Neera sighed. She wasn’t in Heaven after all and these questions had been nagging her for quite a while so maybe they were worth the risk of getting into trouble after all. She prepared herself to pose another set of questions. She knew Aziraphale and especially Crowley would answer her – or at least try to.

'And besides,’ the demon continued. 'you remind me of someone from… back then.’

'Ba-back then?’ Neera dropped her biscuit, completely forgetting what she was about to ask. 'You mean before you- before you Fell? Who?’

Aziraphale had never asked Crowley about the Fall. It’s not that he didn’t want to know, of course, but the time never seemed right to ask such a question. But little Neera wasn’t Aziraphale. Crowley could see she was full of “what?"s and "how?"s and "why?"s and it was written all over her face. Even her eyes demanded answers.

The demon shot an uncertain glance towards Aziraphale and sighed. When he spoke, his voice was low. 'Me.’

Neera drew in a sharp breath. She pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly. Crowley didn’t say exactly, but it wasn’t hard to put two and two together.

'Is that- Is that why you Fell?… Asking questions?’ She couldn’t believe her ears.

'Yep’ said Crowley quietly.

Neera found herself staring at the demon. She couldn’t see Crowley’s eyes behind his sunglasses but she could feel his gaze. He must have been expecting other questions, bracing himself for them. But Neera had only one.

'Did you get your answers?’

Crowley raised his brows. The young angel’s voice was only a whisper. She looked at him and the green of her eyes reminded Crowley of Eden when it was still new and full of life.

'Some of them, yeah.’

Neera looked down, fixing her gaze on the floor but she nodded with understanding. A half-smile sat on her face for a quiet moment.

'I should get going, it’s pretty late,’ she said at once, jumping up.

'Thanks for the dinner, Aziraphale!’ She pulled on her hoodie, heading for the door but stopped halfway, turning back. 'And Crowley? Thank you.’

Crowley nodded. 'Now you’re never asking another question again in your life, right?’ He added with a crooked grin.

'Oh you bet I am!’ Neera laughed. 'I have loads of other questions. But I guess I’ll save them for another time.’ She opened the front door of the bookshop. Rain swept in with the cold wind.

'Neera?’ Crowley asked from the sofa. 'Need a lift, kid?’

Neera breathed in the smell of rain and shook her head. She’d always liked the rain. And she liked walking and certainly needed a good walk tonight to sort out her thoughts. She unfolded her wings, raising them above her head to protect herself from the rain and stepped out on the door of the bookshop.

-

That certain _another time_ happened one night in the next winter, on the roof of Crowley’s flat. A demon telling two angels all about the stars, one angel content with holding his hand and listening to his voice, but the other one, the younger, curious and eager and trying to distract herself from a still lingering pain and fear, wanted to know more and asking questions that couldn’t be answered with words. But to understand how they got there, we need to begin a bit earlier.

The night sky was clear and St James’s was almost empty. Empty, save for a few humans who would be pretty easy to convince that what they were about to see wasn’t actually there, and one angel who slowly unfolded her wings, letting the wind brush against her light grey feathers.

Neera took a deep breath. She hadn’t had a chance to fly for a long time and she knew a park in the middle of London wasn’t exactly the safest place for it but she was willing to take the risk. She found herself taking more and more, in fact, since she came to the human world. With a couple of steps ran, she took off.

Oh, how much she’d missed this. Angels’ wings were made to fly, not to be folded up neatly and hidden in another plane, away from mortal eyes. Niramel flew high then fell back down, letting the wind catch into her wings the last second before she would hit the ground. She laughed with all her heart and the few humans who heard it felt impossible warmth in their very beings. An angel’s laugh will do that for you, you know. Neera flew over the lake, gently touching the still surface reflecting starlight with the tips of her feathers. Then she worked her way up, up, higher than the trees and buildings. She stayed for a while, taking in the view, the city sleeping under her feet, the night embracing her and the stars shining with the same light she held in her chest, in her very core.

Then she saw it. A flash of darkness, just in the corner of her eye. She turned but it was too late.

Two demons rushed towards her. She sensed something else too and it took a second for her to realise, there were two others coming from behind her back. She dropped her wings down, falling only for a second to avoid the attack before stopping. She held her chin up and readied herself to face down her attackers, trying to ignore the fact that she was terribly outnumbered.

The flashes of light and fire must have brought more attention from the humans than what Neera had previously expected from a quick nighttime flight but that was the last thing on the angel’s mind right now.

Niramel was falling. Not Falling, thankfully, still she wondered what would happen when she would reach the ground. Her wings hurt, her shoulder, her ribs, her lungs, everything hurt. Flying was out of the question, and oh, only if she had enough strength for a miracle…

She wondered if it would hurt, discorporation. Or would just make her pain go away? Either way, if Heaven found out she discorporated because she was irresponsible enough to go flying in a human city in the middle of the night…? They wouldn’t let her come back.

Not _if. When._ It was only a matter of seconds, but the seconds streched out before her, as if to give her time to think of what she’s leaving behind. Earth. Humans. Funny movies and bubbly drinks, fish and chips, mountaintops, bicycles, fairy tales. Music playing just a bit too loud on a car’s radio. Ceiling-high shelves stoked with books. Crowley. Aziraphale.

The seconds ran out and the impact came.

The first thing Neera became aware of was that she was still alive. The second was the cold surrounding her, the water filling her lungs, her wings wet and heavy and hurting, sinking her to the bottom like an anchor. She’d fallen into the lake.

And she was still alive.

With one last effort, she began swimming. Her wings were heavy and dragged her back but she was determined not to give it up without a fight. And if she faced down four demons, well, that must mean there was something humans would call bravery in her. Or perhaps foolish stubbornnes.

Aziraphale was just about to turn the page in a terribly exciting novel he’d recently started when Crowley’s phone began to ring. The demon groaned next to him in the bed and pulled a pillow to hide his face under. He hated being woken up in the middle of the night. Aziraphale waved a hand and the phonecall ended. Crowley muttered something gratefully and went back to sleep. But the phone rang again, and then a third time too, when Aziraphale silenced the second attempt. The caller apparently was quite impatient.

'I ssswear…’ hissed Crowley, grabbing the phone before it could change to the answerphone. He wanted to tell whoever was calling in the middle of the night to go and…

'Crowley?’ It was Niramel and even Aziraphale could make out her voice was shaking. 'I… Cou-could you pick me up? I-I'm…’ A dry sob interrupted though Neera tried very hard to hide it. 'Please-’

Aziraphale and Crowley exchanged a worried glance.

'Where are you?’ asked the demon.

Neera drew in shallow breaths on the other end of the line. 'St James’s Park,’ she managed in the end.

'We’re comin’.’

'Crowley!’ Aziraphale let out a sound that was more of a terrified squeak than anything, though he wouldn’t like it if you referred to it as such. The Bentley had just took a turn left, at a speed Aziraphale tried not to think too much about.

'Didn’t you hear, angel? Neera’s in trouble,’ argued Crowley.

'Yes and we can’t help her if you discorporate us both!’

'I won’t,’ said Crowley but he slowed down a bit.

Arriving at the park, Aziraphale snapped his fingers to bring light into the darkness, not caring if there were any humans around to see them. He noticed the young angel crouched on the ground by the lake. Her wings were out, but they lay on the ground lifeless, in a twisted position. There was blood colouring her grey feathers red.

'Neera!’ Aziraphale rushed to her, dropping on his knees as he got close. She raised her head and let out a small relieved chuckle.

'Azira-ziraphale…’ Tears slid down on her face and with that, she hugged the other angel. She was soaking wet and shivering in the cold air. Aziraphale snapped his fingers again and she was warmer and dry and she buried her face in his favourite jacket and she cried. She was alive. She was safe.

Crowley stood by them, removing his glasses and inspecting Neera’s injured wings.

'What happened?’

Aziraphale shot him a glance and continued gently rubbing Niramel’s back and petting her soaked hair.

'Neera, what happened?’ Crowley insisted and he sit down to see the injuries from closer.

'I-I just wanted to… I wanted to fly,’ Neera began, struggling to get out the words between her quiet sobs and sniffles. 'An-and they came and I tri-tried to… to fight bu-but I… I don’t know… I fell into the lake.’

'Who’s they, dear girl? Who attacked you?’ Aziraphale asked.

'I don’t know… Fro-from Downstairs, I think…’ her shoulders shook with another sob breaking to the surface.

'It’s okay, it’s okay,’ said Aziraphale, tightening his embrace.

'Yeah… ’S okay,’ echoed Crowley quietly and he placed a hand on the young angel’s back, right between her wings, a miracle just enough to sooth her pain for the time until they get home and can heal her wings properly.

Two weeks had passed since that night in St James’s Park that ended with Neera curled up on Crowley’s couch with healed wings wrapped around her, as well as a warm tartan blanket Aziraphale miracled and covered her in when he noticed she’d fallen asleep.

Niramel’s wings had healed in the time but she… well, she was scared. She asked, over and over again, if she could stay, just for one more night and when Crowley sighed and said 'sure’, she promised herself she’d really find the strength to leave next morning. But she never did. Each night, Aziraphale and Crowley watched with worry as she curled up tightly around herself on the couch, trying to become as small as possible, still shivering with the memory of pain and fear.

This night, as Crowley finished watering his plants – he didn’t have the heart to yell at them while Neera was just in the other room – he shot a glance at the young angel and he frowned. Aziraphale had gone to do his groceries and check into the bookshop so it was only the two of them at the flat. Crowley sighed, scribbling down a quick note to Aziraphale and he grabbed Neera’s hand.

'Come on,’ he commanded.

The girl responded with an uncertain look but followed him nevertheless. She’d become too trusting, the other angels would say. But it wasn’t the other angels who had saved her and healed her. Crowley led her up the stairs, to the roof. Niramel gasped as they exited into the night, the cool air, the darkness.

'Com'on,’ Crowley repeated in a softer voice and he sat on the edge of the roof. 'Do you know how long humans have been looking at the stars? Six thousands of years, at the least.’ He grinned. 'Must be something good, if they’re all doing it.’

Neera sat down, lifting her gaze just a bit to see the tiny spots of light on the fabric of the dark sky. They still shone with the same holy light but Neera felt her own weak and flickering.

When Aziraphale arrived with two mugs of cocoa in hand after seeing the note from Crowley, the demon was right in the middle of explaining supernovas and the countless reasons they were interesting.

'Nice to see you out here,’ the angel smiled at Niramel while handing her one of the mugs.

'Crowley convinced me’ Neera answered. She liked the stars too and it amazed her how much Crowley knew about them.

'Oh yes, he can be very convincing.’ Aziraphale smiled a bit smugly, until Crowley glared at him with yellow serpentine eyes and pulled at the edge of his jacket to get him to sit down already. Aziraphale sat next to him and finished his cocoa. When he set his mug down, he took Crowley’s hand to hold instead. You would think Neera noticed none of that, but in reality, she’d always been quite observant. Plus, angels could sense love and she was no exception.

Crowley kept going on, about the stars and how humans got to know them. Until one moment, he slipped out an "I made that one” and Neera’s eyes went wider than two saucepans. Aziraphale knew Crowley had helped make the stars but it was all news for Niramel. And, as everything new and possibly exciting, it sparked her interest really fast.

'You made the stars? Which ones? What was it like?’

Crowley laughed. 'Woah, slow down there!’ he said but he was secretly happy to see the girl light up and finally, finally start nagging him with her questions. 'That one.’ He pointed to one of the stars. 'And that one. Aaaaaand that one, I think…’

Neera smiled widely. She suddenly had tons of other questions coming up and she was ready to ask them. She had to know what it was like, she had to get answers about… about the stars and the vastness of space and everything before. Before Time, before Earth, before Eden. Before Heaven and Hell, when all there was just God’s Light and the angels who sang Her praises.

Crowley went silent when she finished, not knowing how to answer. He looked at Aziraphale. The angel closed his eyes, squeezed Crowley’s hand and he started humming under his breath. The tune was familiar but Crowley couldn’t quite place it. Then suddenly, he remembered. It was a song he’d sung too, an eternity ago, when he was waving the fabric of space together to make stars and galaxies and nebulas. A song of creation.

He squeezed back Aziraphale’s hand. He knew that even if he tried, he wouldn’t know the words anymore. But Aziraphale did, and so did Neera. She sang quietly, as if she’d always known the words and felt her Grace in her chest hum along to the gentle rthym and it warmed her from the inside. When the song ended, Aziraphale opened his eyes. His smile was sheepish and apologising and so, so warm as he looked at Neera.

'This was the only way I could show you.’

The younger angel smiled and the smile reached her eyes, the green of her irises lit up like sunlight shining through the leaves of a tree. She turned to look at the stars. They shone brighter than before and her own holy light matched theirs, warm and strong and bright.

Crowley noticed her gaze was lost in the stars. He nudged her with his elbow. 'Let’s go see them from a bit closer, what do you say?’ he said.

Neera didn’t quite understand what he meant but the demon was already standing, helping Aziraphale up while unfolding his wings. Black feathers unfurled against the night sky, followed by Aziraphale’s white ones.

'I-I’m not sure that’d be a good idea…’ Niramel protested. She hadn’t flown since that night in the park.

'Just stretch your wings, then,’ Aziraphale offered a compromise. 'Let’s see how they healed.’

Neera hesitated. But her Grace was so bright, it ached to get closer to those other smaller lights, up there in the sky. What could they be like? She unfurled her wings and took a shaking breath before she dared to look at them. She’d half-expected twisted bones and feathers dripping with blood. Instead, what she saw was her wings, grey with spots and streaks of white, like they’ve always been. Maybe in need of a grooming but perfectly capable of getting her anywhere she wanted to go. To the stars, even.

'Let’s go see them,’ she nodded.

Crowley laughed. He took Aziraphale’s hand and leapt from the edge of the roof. The angel laughed too, as both of them fell for a heartbeat’s time and flew right up in front of Neera’s eyes. She breathed in the cold air, took a leap too and in a second, she was flying.

Why, you ask?

To feel the wind swirl between her feathers and the night sky take her in. To catch up with Aziraphale and Crowley. To reach the stars.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as i promised, more ocs!!! found family dynamics!!!an actual plot starting finally!!!

‘Are you up for another go?’ Crowley asked, leaning out at the window of the Bentley.

'You can’t beat me this time, Crowley,’ smirked Neera in a very un-angelic way. She got up on her motorbike.

'First one to the bookshop wins, then.’ The engines roared up experimentally. 'And remember, winner gets to choose the movie fo-’ Crowley couldn’t finish. The motorbike started off and Neera was already half a street away. Crowley shook his head with a crooked grin and treaded on the accelerator.

In normal London traffic the distance between Neera’s flat and the bookshop in Soho would take a 20 minute bicycle ride or - since Crowley recently introduced Neera to the concept of motorbikes - a 9 minute drive. (The young angel apparently took a liking to every human invention that could fly and/or go really fast.) Crowley and Niramel, however, managed - with their repeatedly organized races - to shorten it under 5 minutes, while both of them driving like crazy and giving Aziraphale two separate heart attacks when he heard the screech of tyres outside his shop two times at the end of each race.

Winner’s prize was always the same, getting to choose a movie to watch that night on the dusted up tv and cassette player in the bookshop’s backroom. Crowley had won first and purposefully chose a movie he knew Neera would hate. The girl had wanted to take revenge in the name of “divine justice” first but decided against it in the end. They watched movies they liked instead with the only one who wasn’t quite as entertained being Aziraphale, who didn’t share neither Crowley, nor Neera’s taste in movies. He usually read a book instead, content with listening to the movie and the others’ laughter with half an ear.

Neera could practically feel the taste of victory. Crowley hadn’t expected her to start off sooner and she’d gained quite an advantage. She took the next turn and passed by a group of college-aged pedestrians. A sudden wave of awe and love hit her coming from one of them and that prompted her to look back. One of the girls gazed after her white-blue motorbike with wide eyes. Oh, and a familiar black Bentley just appeared at the end of the turn.

Focus, Neera. She sped up and took the next turn to make a short-cut to Berwick Street where only a motorbike could fit. She almost reached the end of the narrow street and was near the bookshop now when she heard something…

_“Are you gonna take me home tonight?_

_Ah, down beside that red firelight-”_

'Crowley?’ she frowned. 'Where the He- AAAAAAH!’

The Bentley appeared right in front of her. It crossed her way on Berwick Street and Neera could only miracle herself out of the way in the very last second, while also screaming rather ungracefully. The thing is, with two celestial beings trying to organise a speed race, it’s bound to happen at least one of them is going to cheat, usually with one or two dirty miracles involved. She was used to it already.

Niramel sat on the pavement, huffing as Crowley got out of his car. Her motorbike was in a terrible state.

’_Fat bottomed girls, you make the rockin’ world go 'round,_’ hummed Crowley along to the voice coming from the car’s radio while grinning at her victoriously. 'Com'on kid, you gotta learn when to accept defeat.’

The angel looked at him with a brooding expression for a second before a huge grin sat out on her face.

'Accepted.’ She stood up, still smiling and play-hitting Crowley on the arm. 'Nice going, speed demon.’

'Anthony J. Crowley!!’

The threateningly raised voice belonged to Aziraphale. A very angry and frustrated Aziraphale, stomping towards them from across the street.

'Uh-oh,’ said Crowley cleverly.

'I will have no more of your stupid races in front of my bookshop. You could have gotten yourself discorporated! And Neera as well! And don’t look at me like that, I know this was your idea. You’re being a terribly bad influence and-’

“M not.’ Crowley muttered, trying to change the topic from the rather sensitive issue of discorporation.

Aziraphale was perplexed.

'He’s not,’ agreed Niramel, rushing to Crowley’s aid. 'I’ve always been a bit like this. _Prone to misbehave_, as Gabriel said.’

'Wait, Gabriel?’ Aziraphale asked.

'Mm-hm,’ the girl nodded.

'Gabriel’s a bitch,’ said Crowley. Aziraphale tried to shoot him a disapproving glare but his heart wasn’t in it.

'I got this assignment so that I can see and learn _from the consequences of disobeidence on the long term,_’ Neera said, ending her speech in a mocking voice.

Aziraphale’s shoulders dropped. 'What, so I’m supposed to be so-some sort of a negative example, aren’t I?’ He suddenly looked weary.

Neera hesitated, then decided not to try and deny it. 'I think, yeah.’

'Then what are you doing here?’ Aziraphale asked quietly. Crowley stepped closer sheepishly and put a hand on his angel’s shoulder. 'You’re not supposed to be following negative examples.’ The angel’s voice was only a whisper.

'But then I wouldn’t know you guys! And-’ Neera didn’t know how to finish. This wasn’t where she wanted this conversation to go.

'Let’s get inside, angel,’ Crowley offered in a gentle voice.

'And?’ Aziraphale looked at Neera, still waiting for her to finish.

'And that’d be no fun.’ Neera shrugged, trying to play it cool. What else was she supposed to say? The truth? That she wouldn’t have found this new freedom and safety and happiness that she enjoyed so much? That was so dear to her? That it was all thanks to Aziraphale and Crowley? She couldn’t say that. Walls have ears.

Aziraphale still let out a relieved smile, he still understood the words Neera didn’t say.

'Yes, of course, my dear,’ he said to Crowley. 'Get inside. So, who won today? Who’s choosing the film?’

'Me,’ Crowley put on a proud grin. 'What’d you say to _Pride and Prejudice_, angel?’

Neera followed them into the bookshop and the backroom, smiling to herself. The choice was most definitely deliberate from Crowley. It was one of Aziraphale’s favourite movies.

-

Aziraphale and Crowley didn’t exactly plan to adopt the first celestial being who apparently wasn’t trying to kill them, but the young angel Niramel still stuck around, somehow. And they didn’t mind.

Meanwhile Neera - who also didn’t plan to be adopted by a renegade angel and demon but was nevertheless glad it turned out something like that - had the time of her life learning human things. She learned how to ride a motorbike. Joined a local sport’s club. Learned languages. She’d also tried travelling, doing volunteer work and even applied to college (but couldn’t decide on a major). She ended up as Aziraphale’s assistant in the bookshop anyway.

She was there today, while Aziraphale and Crowley were on a date. The angel left her in charge of the bookshop with the strict condition that she could only sell a book if it was absolutely unavoidable. Niramel didn’t plan on selling any, she knew well how dear each of them was for Aziraphale.

She was standing on the tallest ladder, rearranging the books on the highest shelves and selecting the ones that needed repair, when the doorbell rang, warning her that a customer entered the shop.

Except it wasn’t just any customer. Niramel felt… a presence. That was unusual and most likely meant no good.

'Just a sec’!’ She slid down on the ladder.

The tall man who greeted her had alarmingly bright, blue eyes and wore a battered leather jacket. His presence felt a bit like Crowley’s and a lot like those demons who had attacked Neera back in the St James’s. It sent shivers down her spine. Neera put down Aziraphale’s precious books and was already searching the room for something to use as a weapon in case it got to a fight. Except there wasn’t anything like that. Aziraphale had given away his flaming sword – again.

'Excuse me,’ started the demon with a quiet but forced tone. He was also wary of the ethereal being who stood face to face with him now, but seemed to play it safe by pretending they were both humans. Which they both knew wasn’t true. 'I’m looking for Mr Anthony Crowley. I was told I’d find him here.’

'Who told you that?’ Neera shot a deadly glare at the demon.

'I don’t believe,’ his voice was almost threatening now and Neera became painfully aware how non-intimidating she looked in her human form. 'That it’s any of your business, Ms…’ He glanced down at her nametag. 'Merryweather.’

Neera gulped. She’d given a lot of thought to finding a suitable human name and was rather satisfied with the result but now, from the demon’s mouth, it sounded like an insult. He said it with the same tone as most demons would say "angel”. And if anything, the nametag made her look even less like an angel of the Lord and more like a part-time shop assistant who was so tired sometimes she even forgot her own name. (This, more or less, had been the case. The name Merryweather was nice and all but also quite long and, especially in the beginning, Neera tended to forget it. One time a customer asked for her last name when she was rather preoccupied – that day had already been chaotic enough, she’d lost a book and was frantically trying to find it before Aziraphale got home – she panicked, forgot her own and said the first one that came to her mind. The first one she saw, in fact. Fell. And ever since that day, like a miracle gone wrong, customers, and all humans in fact, started to just assume she was the daughter of the shop’s owner, Mr A. Z. Fell. It didn’t help that she started wearing a nametag around the shop.

It’s also worth mentioning that the only human who didn’t assume her to be Aziraphale’s daughter was the old lady who lived under Crowley’s flat. She naturally assumed she was Crowley’s daughter. Which was almost the same sentiment.)

'Who sent you?’ she attampted again, adding a bit of divine fury to her voice.

To her surprise, the demon sighed. He suddenly looked tired, almost weary and shot a glance towards the floor and the ceiling – Downstairs and Upstairs. 'No one sent me.’ His voice was low. 'I came on my own. I looked for him, the Antichrist, for aid and he told me to come here.’

'Adam?’ Neera cocked her head to the side with widening eyes. She’d met the Antichrist on his last birthday party in Tadfield. She’d made friends with him and his friends and Adam didn’t seem like a kid who’d send deadly demonic assassins to the bookshop.

The demon nodded. 'Great kid,’ he mused. 'Our lot was crazy mad at him for not starting the war. Caused a lot of trouble for the Divine Plan, with that. Impressive, really.’

Neera found herself trying, and failing to hide a snicker. She was sure Adam wouldn’t have sent this guy here if he meant danger.

'For aid? So you want help? From Crowley?’ She asked now with a lighter heart.

Another nod. 'Or from the angel. The one with flaming sword, I think…?’

'Aziraphale. Yes.’ Neera said and allowed herself a smile. 'They’ve gone out. But you can wait for them.’

'Thanks. Do you mind if I look through the detective books? I’ve always wanted to read one.’

Neera hesitated for a while, then showed the shelf to the demon. 'Here. Just be careful. They’re Aziraphale’s and he’s-’

'He’s gonna smite me with the flaming sword if I damage them?’

'Ah uh, I don’t think so. He doesn’t have it anymore.’

'Hmm, pity.’ The demon leaned closer to the shelves to make out the titles on the spines. 'I would’ve liked to see it. A flaming sword, I mean. Do you also have one?’ He turned to Neera.

'What? No! Not all angels have flaming swords, you know.’

The demon took a book off the shelf. He smiled. 'Well, not all of them work in bookshops either.’

Niramel snickered once again. She felt more and more of the demon’s presence and realised he wasn’t so bad.

'Just as not all demons read detective books, I expect,’ she said.

The demon found this amusing. He extended a hand towards the angel and said, 'I’m Dee.’

She shook his hand.

'Neera.’

Aziraphale and Crowley got home to an unfamiliar demon sitting on the floor, half-through a detective book but not actually reading and Niramel sitting on the counter, adding wild gestures to her rant about how “the Great War was so overhyped anyway” and “why would they wanna fight in another War again, the last one didn’t quite turn out okay either”. Dee nodded empathetically. He, like Crowley and Aziraphale, had been around at “the last one”. And he didn’t like it much.

Needless to say, his presence in the bookshop caused a reasonable amount of shock. But by the time he explained how he went to Tadfield to ask for Adam’s help and how the Antichrist sent him here, because you know, Hell was getting all stuffy and unpleasant and there isn’t exactly anywhere else to Fall from there, Crowley (frowning but understandning it perfectly nonetheless) and Aziraphale (needing a few calming breaths, especially upon seeing one of his books in the demon’s hands) agreed to help. Crowley did actually remember running into Dee a few times Downstairs, usually carrying around huge stacks of paperwork. And Dee was one of the few demons who did cheer at Crowley’s presentations.

-

_Name: Niramel_

_Rank: Angel_

_Assignment: surveillance of the Principality Aziraphale_

_Progress report: I’m keeping a close eye on him but he’s not doing anything special, Gabe. Usually stays in the bookshop or goes to have lunch. Today he fed ducks at St James’s Park with Crowley. That’s no big news, I guess._

_Date: March 25, 3rd year of The World That Is To Come – London, UK, Earth_

'That’s it. Finished!’ Neera let out a contented sigh, signing the last report with a cheap glitter gel pen and leaned back in her chair, resting her feet on the table. Aziraphale gave her a disapproving glare. Neera rolled her eyes and dropped her feet to the floor.

'You know, I’m surprised to see you are actually filing out your paperwork. I never did it on time,’ Aziraphale smiled.

'Well, if it’s in order and on time, it’s less likely they come and check up on me, you know.’

The principality nodded. He considered this for a moment. 'Do you know what would happen? If they checked up on you, that is to say?’

Neera pulled a face. 'I don’t know. If they saw me here… not sure I could convince them I’m only here to… You know, it’s actually forbidden to get in contact with either of you.’

'Yes, I supposed it would be.’

'So uhm, yeah, there probably would be consequences.’ Neera shrugged. 'But it’s nothing worth worrying about. I won’t get caught, and that’s that.’

Aziraphale looked at her like he was trying to determine whether she was joking or not. Neera raised a brow. The man quickly dropped his eyes from her and jumped up.

'Oh, that reminds me! I’ve been meaning to show you…’ He marched to one of the shelves and grabbed a book. 'I think you’ll like this one!’

Niramel held the book carefully, as always with Aziraphale’s rare first editions. The binding was a tan leather and the letters golden.

'_One Thousand and One Nights_,’ whispered Neera as she read the English letters below a script unknown to her.

'It’s a collection of tales. From the Islamic Golden Age,’ Aziraphale said proudly. Niramel loved tales and short stories and he very well knew that. The girl opened the book, gingerly flipping through the pages and adoring the illustrations when she sensed something. Her gaze slid up, towards the door of the shop and she saw a figure standing in the front, trying to make out the opening hours. A figure she recognised instantly.

Hanael?

Oh no. No, no, no, no, that can’t mean any good.

'It’s awesome, Aziraphale, thank you!’ Neera scraped up her reports. 'But I gotta go! I still have to hand in the reports and I have to catch up with Dee and also a lot of other things to do, a lot of, you know-’

Aziraphale frowned.

'Anyways, thanks for the book, I promise I’ll be super careful with it! Bye!’ Neera practically rushed out.

'Oh,’ said Aziraphale, still frowning. 'Bye Neera, pip-pip!’

'Yeah, pip-pip…’ And she was out the door.

Hanael was so close to reaching for the doorknob and entering Aziraphale’s bookshop before Neera stormed out, grabbed them by the elbow and dragged them to a close street.

'What are you doing here?’ she almost hissed. Bad influences, indeed.

'Niramel?’ Hanael’s golden eyes went wide.

'Yeah, hi Hanael,’ Neera glared at them. 'What are you doing here?’

'I’m, er, you see, I'm… What the Hell are you wearing?’

Yes, Hanael was always prone to changing the subject when they were uncomfortable. Which happened often, since Hanael was always so shy around others. Now, however, they had a point. Neera’s trainers, ripped jeans and oversized tee was in strict contrast to their pastel suit. In fact, it was something no other self-respecting angel would be caught dead in, but Neera just grimaced in response. Her fashion choices mattered the least in this situation.

'It’s called blending in with the humans, Hanael. See, I can do my job and I certainly don’t need anyone checking up on me. And you can tell that to Gabriel too.’

'Uh, yeah…’ Hanael’s gaze was fixed on the ground.

'That’s- that’s not why you’re here, right?’ Neera asked, sensing something was wrong. 'Then why, in Heaven’s name, Hanael?’

'Well, not exactly in Heaven’s name…’ They didn’t look up at her, even as they called her name. 'Niramel? If someone was to, hypothetically speaking, uhm, you know… want to leave Heaven, because there are some things they, uh, maybe don’t really… agree with, it’d be best to look for Aziraphale, don’t you think? You’ve been watching him, you know if he would… would be willing to… help?’

'You are leaving Heaven?’ Neera raised her voice in surprise.

'No, no, this is just hypothetical, I’m just asking if-’ they fretted and looked up for a split second, as if to make sure no one watches from above. From Above. Oh God.

'Hanael, you are leaving Heaven.’ She whispered.

Hanael nodded, eyes finally meeting her gaze.

If you knew Neera well – and Hanael did, they were both young (well, young by angelic standards anyway) and you very well could call them friends – you would expect her pouring out questions the next minute she spoke. But this time, she didn’t. She didn’t need to. She knew the answers already. All of them, why Hanael would come here, to Aziraphale’s bookshop, why they would fret and dither, shooting worried glances towards the sky. Why they would want to leave Heaven. Neera knew.

She’d left too, already, the realisation hitting her like a cold shower. She didn’t know when it happened. Maybe right after the Apocalypse-that-wasn’t. Maybe the night when Aziraphale and Crowley rushed to save her in St James’s Park or maybe they night when Crowley told her about the stars and Aziraphale sang. Maybe just any night she’d spent at the bookshop with a mug of cocoa warm and comforting in her hand with an angel and a demon by her side.

Whenever it happened, Neera had left Heaven behind. She wasn’t the first angel to do so. And apparently, she wasn’t the last either.

She took Hanael’s hand.

'Come on, I’ll introduce you,’ she said softly and lead her friend back to the bookshop.

-

Hogback Wood was uncharacteristically quiet. Adam Young arrived earlier than the rest of the Them and now passed the time playing fetch with Dog.

The earth rumbled. It wasn’t a big rumble, like an earthquake or any other natural catastrophy. It was small and this wasn’t the first time Adam had felt something like this.

Just last month, the earth had rumbled the same and a demon emerged from Hell. His name was Dee and he wanted Adam’s help in hiding from the Hosts of Hell on Earth. He’d got tired of life Down There. Adam could imagine it, all stuffy and dark and boring. Earth was much better, even with all the things on Earth that weren’t so good. Adam understood that very well. He had sent Dee to the bookshop. He figured, if anyone, Crowley and Aziraphale could help the demon out. They’d helped _him_ too, after all, at the end of the world.

Now the earth rumbled again and a demon sprung up from the ground like a really, really fast-growing, dark flower. The sound that followed made Adam’s ears pop. He blinked, then squinted, then blinked again. Someone else also appeared and that someone seemed like an angel. The two beings glanced at each other nervously, then promptly decided to ignore one another.

'Hi!’ The demon stepped closer, extending a hand to Adam. Her almond-shaped eyes were dark and deep like a well but they glimmered with mischief. Adam liked that. 'You must be Adam. I heard so much about you. I’m Maggie.’

Adam shook her hand. “S nice to meet you.’

'And I’m Iriel.’ The blonde angel smiled a perfect smile at him, shaking his hand as well. 'A pleasure.’

Adam nodded. 'So you’re here to…?’

'To ask for your help,’ Iriel said. 'I'm… I’m tired of Upstairs.’

'You are?’ Maggie looked up from where she was crouched on the ground now, scratching Dog’s ears. Iriel nodded uncertainly in response. The demon seemed a lot friendlier towards her now. 'I know someone who could help us!’

Iriel cocked her head to the side and raised a brow in question.

'Crowley. And Aziraphale,’ Maggie explained proudly.’ We just need to know where to find them, right?’ She looked at Adam expectantly.

'In London.’ Adam nodded sagely. He told them bookshop’s address in Soho. 'You can take the bus,’ he added.

-

'No,’ said Niramel, heavily concentrating on _not_ spilling all of her drink, 'no, that’s kindles. Not tablets. ’S different. Don’t mention either of them in front of Aziraphale, though.’

Dee nodded. He had been constantly nodding for the past 5 minutes during Neera and Hanael’s argument, as if he couldn’t decide who he was agreeing with.

'I-” Hanael started again but realised they were out of counterpoints. They were beginning to get a bit tipsy. And Neera was clearly expert on human matters, as she’d been living on Earth for the longest time. Of the five of them anyway.

The five of them, who’d arrived on Earth after Armageddon. Three angels who didn’t exactly fall and two demons who didn’t exactly rise. A bit like Aziraphale and Crowley. A bit like humans.

The five of them, who’d grown close under the past few weeks.

Dee had found a small flat close to a hidden and out-of-sight park. He couldn’t really stand vast open spaces, not so soon after leaving Downstairs. Iriel insisted on staying at a luxurious, five-star hotel but both Hanael and Maggie decided to crash at Neera’s apartment. Neera didn’t mind. There was something warm and comforting about the three of them in one place. A certain sense of familiarity, though Neera tried not to think too much about that.

'Neera?’ Maggie asked, giggling with a plastic straw in her mouth. She made a terribly annoying slurping sound with her cocktail and continued. 'That’s not your full name, right? Neera… tha’s a terribly human name for an 'ngel…’

'It’s Niramel,’ Hanael said before Neera could get a word. She elbowed them.

“S Neera now,’ she said quietly. 'And besides, you’re the one to talk?’ She pointed her straw at the young demon dramatically. 'Maggie sounds pretty un-demonic for me!’

'Oh, it’s short for Magpie. I never told you that?’ she seemed surprised.

Hanael raised both eyebrows in bewilderment and Iriel pulled a face.

Neera felt like choking on her straw.

'Wait! Magpie?! So that’s where- that’s where that earring went!’ She’d been looking for it for ages.

Maggie stirred her drink, looking innocent. Dee just nodded. He knew. The bastard.

'A-and the badges?’ Neera mumbled, realising that things really had started to misteriously vanish in the flat recently, 'And the earphones? And the scotch tape? My motor keys? My glitter gel pen???’

Maggie grinned at her and slurped her drink.

Neera felt utterly defeated.

’’T was my fav'rite pen.’ She downed the rest of her drink. It occured to her that she should start drawing crosses on all of her stuff with a permanent marker but maybe it was just the alcohol talking. But Maggie chuckled and Hanael’s eyes were lit up and there it was again, that sudden, almost alarming sense of familiarity. Neera shook the feeling off.

Soon, she’d forgotten about stolen pens and shortened names and all that. The large amount of alcohol they’d consumed had its effect. It truly was one of humanity’s biggest inventions, though Neera assumed Crowley or Aziraphale had something to do with it. They’d spent a good half an hour debating which. Hanael and Dee were convinced it was Aziraphale’s doing, while Iriel and Maggie insisted on Crowley. Neera guessed both. Probably together and most likely by accident.

The conversation turned to other human inventions. The karaoke machine in the corner of the bar played a familiar tune.

'Selfies!’ Iriel exclaimed when it was her turn to add her favourite thing invented by humans.

'Nah, tha’s one of Crowley's…’ Maggie shook her head.

'No way!’

'Yes way,’ insisted Maggie with the unshakeable calm of someone who’d done their research on the topic.

(She had. Even in Hell, Maggie had been fascinated with the human world. She read every report, every file sent by Crowley about Earth and she’d became not only familiar but fairly obsessed with them. Her first meeting with Crowley was like anyone meeting their personal hero: incredibly awkward.

Neera would never forget the baffled expression on the face of the Serpent of Eden when he heard "Hinicetomeetyoumynamesmaggiehugefanofyourworkespeciallythem25thatwasfreakinggeniusyoureawesome”.)

Iriel sighed dramatically and raised her arms in surrender.

'What 'bout you, Neera?’ Hanael asked but the girl wasn’t paying attention. She’d found it increasingly hard to focus, with each passing hour and each glass of drink. She was humming along to the song playing absentmindedly.

’_I bless the rains down in-_’

'Neera!’ Hanael nudged her with their elbow.

'Huh?’ she stared at them before realising what they were expecting of her. Right, a human invention that she likes. Simple question. And yet, Neera couldn’t think of answer. Her mind was a blank piece of paper and she panicked. 'Karaoke,’ she answered the first word she remembered.

'Karaoke?’ Dee asked like it was a disease he hadn’t heard of yet.

'Yeah,’ Neera nodded.

'Have you ever done karaoke,’ Maggie asked, 'at all?’

'No,’ admitted Neera with a swallow. But she was determined now not to let her embarassment win. 'But I always wanted to,’ she lied.

'In fact,’ she rose from the table, 'I think we should try it now.’

It seemed like a good idea at the moment.

Until Maggie stood up and dragged a giddy Hanael behind her. And she marched to the karaoke machine. She inspected it for a few seconds then gave up and chose a song at random.

Hanael laughed when they saw the title and Maggie giggled at Neera.

'Stage’s yours,’ she announced.

Neera huffed and took the microphone. She had sang God’s praises in the Heavenly Choirs. How hard could this be?

_Ooh, baby, do you know what that’s worth?_

_Ooh, Heaven is a place on Earth-_

Dee laughed and it occured to Neera that she’d never actually heard him laugh before.

_They say in Heaven, love comes first_

_We’ll make Heaven a place on Earth._

_Ooh, Heaven is a place on Earth-_

She sang and it honestly wasn’t so bad. Everything felt blurry and nice from the alcohol. The warmth of her Grace bubbled in her chest. Angels don’t dance but Neera shook her head slightly and her hips followed with a wiggle. It wasn’t dancing. Not yet.

She gasped when Maggie took the microphone and sang the next verse. Then she held it before Hanael and Hanael must have been so, so drunk, because they obeyed and sang. Neera couldn’t believe her ears. They sang together, into one microphone and Neera forgot about the world.

_In this world we’re just beginning_

_To understand the miracle of living._

_Baby, I was afraid before_

_But I’m not afraid anymore-_

They were in a bar, on Earth but Neera felt like she was flying. It might have been the alcohol and it might have been something else. Something that made Maggie’s eyes sparkle and Hanael’s freckles literally glow and Neera’s heart soar.

_Ooh, baby, do you know what that’s worth?_

_Ooh, Heaven is a place on Earth._

_They say in Heaven, love comes first_

_We’ll make Heav-_

Neera stopped. Hanael and Maggie didn’t notice, didn’t see it. And neither did Dee, who stayed sit by their table. Iriel had vanished, sometime during the song. But she was there now. Right behind Dee.

And the celestial sword in her hand was ready to strike.

All of this got to Neera in a flash of a moment. Too late. There was no time.

'Dee!’ Neera cried out and snapped her fingers. The miracle stopped Iriel’s sword in the air for a second.

Maggie dropped the microphone. It hit the ground with a loud _thump_ and the sound of statics that followed made Neera’s ears hurt. Dee turned on his heels, finally realising what was happening. He tripped in a chair and hurled himself towards the back of the bar.

Hanael was the next one to act. They raised both hands and like running into an invisible wall, Iriel stopped abruptly.

But it wasn’t enough. Iriel striked her sword and the wall shattered to pieces. She jumped and-

It’s like the air was sucked out of Neera’s lungs as the blade slid through Dee’s chest.

The world stood frozen for a handful of seconds. The room was spinning around Neera.

Iriel looked up with a solemn expression. Her sword was dripping with blood and Dee’s corporation was lying on the ground motionless. Neera grabbed Maggie and pushed her behind, posing herself between Iriel and the demon. Hanael did the same but Neera saw fear in their golden eyes. She felt the same fear bubble up in her throat, the warmth of her Grace and the happy dizziness of the alcohol vanished.

She took her friends’ hands and shut her eyes.

-

Never teleport when you’re drunk, you’ll wind up having no clue where you are. Aziraphale and Crowley could tell you that for sure. (And they’d be speaking from experience.)

Niramel doubled over on the sidewalk and threw up.

'Where are we? What the Heaven just happened?’ asked Maggie, panic frantically rising in her voice.

'Iriel. She still works for Upstairs and-’ Neera threw up again.

'You think I haven’t noticed?’ Maggie was shouting now.

'You brought us here?’ whispered Hanael to Neera but they also gave a look to Maggie that was supposed to be calming. It was rather unsuccessful, given Hanael’s anxious fidgeting.

Neera managed a nod without throwing up a third time. She squinted, looking around and realizing nothing of their surroundings seemed familiar.

'We should sober up,’ she muttered finally. She couldn’t do this drunk. She couldn’t-

They sat in silence and Neera realised she’d been feeling an aching in her chest. Dee’s absence hit her and she wanted to cry. She’d grown to like the demon in the past weeks. He was her _friend_.

And now he was gone.

Discorporated. Which meant he was back in Hell, the very place he’d tried to run away from. The very place he’d turned his back on. Hell would not forgive. Hell would not forget. They’d destroy him.

A tiny sob escaped her throat.

'There-there must be something we can do,’ said Hanael who was thinking the same. Their eyes flicked to Maggie but the demon slowly shook her head.

'I don’t think we can, Hanael-’ her voice was choked. Her frustrated anger was gone, replaced by the same fear and grief the others felt. She dropped down on the sidewalk next to Neera. 'We can’t get past the Hosts of Hell. We’d be killed in no time and that wouldn’t help Dee in any way.’

'Then wha-what do we do now?’

'Run?’ Maggie asked but she wasn’t fully serious.

Neera slowly shook her head. They couldn't… They couldn’t just run. There wasn’t anywhere to go. And besides-

'She wasn’t alone,’ she slowly said, 'I sensed her reinforcements. And you did too, right?’ Hanael nodded hesitantly. Angels and demons had gathered on the street outside of the bar and they all knew it. 'That’s bad news… But-but considering I don’t even know where I brought us, I’d say they’ve lost track of us.’

'Yeah, that’s-that’s good news then,’ Hanael’s voice was still trembling. 'But they’ll find us in no time. Iriel knows where your flat is. And she also knows about the-’

'The bookshop!’ Neera jumped up, already digging through her pockets. If Iriel and the rest look for them in the bookshop then Aziraphale and Crowley are in danger.

'Wait, my phone… I lost my phone! It must have fallen out when-’

'No, it didn’t.’ Maggie sighed and pulled out the mobile from her own pocket. 'Sorry,’ she said with a sad smile. 'It was so flashy. I liked it.’

Neera would have laughed in any other case but now it only came out as deflated huff. 'Maggie, if we get out of this, I swear I’ll get you the flashiest phone I can find…’ she mumbled.

She paced up and down while dialling. She didn’t need to look long for the number, it was on speed-dial. Of course it was – if Niramel could have one person on Earth to play helicopter parent and pick her up when she’s in trouble, it would be-

'Hello, this is Anthony Crowley, you know what to do, do it with style,’ greeted her the familiar recording of the answerphone. Neera growled in frustration but a great deal of it was actually fear. She couldn’t bear to think about what would happen if she didn’t reach Crowley and Aziraphale in time.

She sighed and tried Aziraphale’s phone number instead. There was no answer.

Shit.

Her panic grew again and this time there didn’t seem to be chance for it to pass anytime soon.

She dialled Crowley again. The answerphone was still better than nothing.

'Crowley, call me back,’ she spoke quickly after the beep. She did her best to hide the shaking of her voice. 'Iriel’s working for Upstairs and Dee… Dee’s gone. Discorporated. And- fuck, we screwed it up, Crowley, we really did. You two are in danger too.’

She looked at Maggie and Hanael. All of them felt defeated and hopeless.

'We have to help them,’ Neera said aloud, stopping in her desperate pacing. 'I’m going to the bookshop and I’m-’ She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do once she got there. She wasn’t sure they’d follow her. She hated how weak her voice sounded.

'We’re going too,’ Hanael stated. They could do nothing to save Dee but they could try to save Aziraphale and Crowley.

'Oh, we are!’ agreed Maggie. 'We’re gonna need a few things, though, if there’s gonna be angels and demons there…’ Her voice trailed off, as if some sudden realisation hit her just now. She stood up and took a hesitant step towards them.

'There’s gonna be angels and demons there,’ she repeated quietly. 'Do you know what that means?’ She looked at them like she was seeing them for the first time. 'Neera… Hanael… Do you know what we are about to do?’

Neera frowned. This whole thing was her idea, of course she knew wha-

'Iriel has all the proof they need. She’s seen you with us, demons and traitors and all that. And we’re about to march into Soho and fight your people and-’ Maggie gulped.

Neera closed her eyes. She knew what Maggie was about to say. The thought had crossed her mind just a few seconds ago, in fact, and she’d decided to ignore it. But she couldn’t, not really.

'You could Fall for that,’ Maggie whispered, barely mouthing the words. The softness and the worry in her voice only partly managed to hide a distant echo of past pain. She held onto Hanael’s hand.

Neera looked at them, taking a deep breath. Then another one, before glancing up – not exactly at Heaven, more at the stars – and finally speaking, 'Aziraphale and Crowley saved me.’ She wasn’t talking about that night at the park only. 'They’re sorta my family. And you are too. I-’

She looked at Hanael. She couldn’t speak in their name but she’d made her choice. The other angel let out a shaky breath but their free hand took Neera’s, squeezing it gingerly. Neera nodded slowly. 'I want to fight for it. Fuck if I Fall.’

Hanael chuckled. This was the first sound of happiness since they left the bar.

'Well said,’ they admitted. And Neera laughed. She felt relieved and armoured with a sudden sense of determination. She was ready, come whatever.

'And Maggie,’ she added and Good Lord, she positively smirked. 'We’re not gonna march into Soho. We’re going to fly.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i will try my best to post chapter 3 soon
> 
> find me on tumblr @afuckindelighttobearound or @gayaziraphales, my good omens sideblog


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all comes to an end with a battle in the skies above London and a beach in South Downs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as i promised, here's the last chapter! sorry for the wait, life has been preventing me from writing lately. enjoy!

Dee woke up gasping for air – a sign of too much time spent on Earth. Around him was darkness and stuffy air and he immediately knew where he was. Back in Hell. He coughed trying his best to ignore the sharp pain in his chest, the hurting memory of discorporation.

Iriel… It was Iriel, that blessed little sh-

She was going after the others. Maggie and Neera and Hanael, they were in danger… Dee struggled to his feet, maybe too hastily because his lungs still ached, even though he had no corporeal body. Shit, he didn't expect this to hurt this much-

But that was the least important thing now. He had to find a way back to Earth.

-

_Driving back in style, in my saloon will do quite nicely_

_Just take me back to yours that will be fine._

_Come on and get it- _

The Bentley pulled up to Berwick Street. The air was cool but light. Crowley and Aziraphale had spent a very pleasant evening and hoped to continue it with a downright wonderful night. Both were quiet, listening to the last beats of the song as Crowley slowed down in front of the bookshop and parked the Bentley neatly by the pavement. But then-

He felt something. Sensed something. Something was wrong.

He fished out a pair of sunglasses from the glove compartment. He had been wearing them less and less when it was just Aziraphale and him.

'Crowley?' the angel asked in a puzzled voice.

'Something's wrong, angel. You can't feel it?'

'No, I-' Aziraphale frowned. And then, '_oh. Oh._'

Crowley turned the key. The motor didn't start. 'Come on!' he growled.

'Crowley!' Aziraphale's hand was on his and his eyes were wide with confusion and fear. The _thing_ they'd felt began swirling around them, energy rising and it gave Crowley goosebumps.

'My dear, i think we should get out of the car,' Aziraphale whispered, swallowing and straightening his back to appear taller and braver.

Crowley nodded and put on his sunglasses.

Out there, he finally saw it. There was a sygil painted on the crossroads in front of the bookshop and it was glowing now, charged up. Crowley had worked with sygils before, he recognised this one. It meant something untranslatable, but the phrase _no way out_ came quite close. Crowley gulped. They were inside the sygil and that meant there really was no way out.

No way, except for-

Up.

He took Aziraphale's hand and unfolded his wings, preparing to take off.

'I wouldn't recommend that,' said a voice from behind his back. Uriel stood behind them with her wings spread and smiled a perfect smile. 'You wouldn't get far.'

Her eyes glanced upwards and Crowley's gaze followed it. A sea of feathers and wings swirled around above them. They covered the sky, the light of the stars and the moon. Angels and demons. Co-operation against a common enemy, again.

'Uriel!' Aziraphale called out. 'What's the meaning of this?'

'See, we've got tired of you two. Spreading disobeidence and rebellion among our ranks,' she said with disgust in her voice.

'And we figured out your clever little trick,' A hoarse voice added as a demon sprung from the ground. Hastur. 'You can't scare us anymore.'

'Aziraphale,' Uriel said calmly. 'This is your final chance, Aziraphale. This doesn't have to end in a fight. And isn't that what you wanted, to avoid the war, the fighting? Obey your orders and come back to Heaven.'

'So you can finish what you started?' Aziraphale sneered and Crowley noticed he started glowing with a furious celestial light. The angel stretched his fingers, maybe not even consciously. But a second later, they were gripping the hilt of a sword. A very, very familiar sword. Crowley knew Aziraphale had been a fighter, once, a long time ago. But he didn't know he could do _that_.

'If that is what you want, so be it,' Uriel shrugged. 'Prepare your troops to charge!' She barked at Hastur and took off to join the rest of the angels circling above their heads.

'Hey, Hastur!' Crowley shouted before the other demon could leave as well. 'What about me, huh? I don't get a chance to back out of the fighting and go back to Hell?'

Hastur blinked his huge, toad-like eyes. 'You want to-?' He asked, confused.

'Er, no,' said Crowley, cocking his head to the side. 'But the sentiment would feel nice.'

Hastur shook his head, realising Crowley was just trying to win time. 'You're dead, Crowley.'

Aziraphale squeezed Crowley's hand and he only realised now that he's been holding it all this time. He squeezed back and looked at Aziraphale from behind his sunglasses. The angel's face, usually so easy to read, an open picture-book of his emotions, was still now.

'He's right, angel,' Crowley said, his voice slightly choking back. 'We're dead.'

He had thought they'd have more time. Three years. Three years of time spent together, of shared beds, of strolls through St James's Park, of fun nights out with their little makeshift family. Three years of freedom to be with Aziraphale. It was more than what Crowley had hoped for for millenia. Still, it wasn't enough.

'May-maybe there's a way. We could go and…' Aziraphale mumbled and Crowley thought of Alpha Centauri.

'No,' he said, looking his angel in the eyes. 'There's no way out. We can't run away this time.'

'Well then, my dear,' Aziraphale stole a kiss from Crowley's lips. It was small and hasty, a rushed goodbye. 'We fight.'

'Fight?' asked Crowley, gasping from the kiss.

'For _us_.' Aziraphale nodded and he seemed calm, at peace. He glanced down at his sword and the blade lit up in flames.

Celestial horns blew in the air and demons screamed their battle cry.

'Yeah,' muttered Crowley under his breath. 'For _us_.'

And the Hosts of Heaven and Hell charged.

-

'Traitor!' A demon screamed and charged at him. Crowley could barely slither away from the attack. He stayed close to Aziraphale, not because fighting together made their odds any better - it didn't, Crowley knew that - but because he didn't want to loose sight of his angel. A thought crossed his mind, a thought about his- the other angel. Neera. There was no way to warn her. Her and the rest of the angels and demons who'd sought refuge on Earth. Crowley and Aziraphale could not run but perhaps they still had a chance.

A pair of lower angels came charging towards them and Crowley sent them flying away with a wave of his hand. He heard the slice Aziraphale's flaming sword behind his back.

He looked up. The armies Heaven and Hell had sent circled above their heads. There was less of them now, yes, but there was no way Crowley and Aziraphale could keep doing this forever. One of them would fall first and the demon - though he didn't want to admit, not even to himself - hoped it would be him.

But then, something unexpected and utterly ridiculous happened.

Crowley glanced up, again and he couldn't believe his eyes. Through the armies of angels and demons, three figures free-dived towards them. And the first one was Neera. Neera, fighting her way through the crowd of enemies with one of those ridiculous, human toys usually used for hitting balls (a cricket bat, if Crowley had known its proper name). And right behind her, Maggie, the lesser demon, the magpie and the little, awkward angel, Hanael. And they were holding a- _oh somebody_, was that a water gun in Hanael's hand?

What on Earth are they doing here?

Neera, Maggie and Hanael were basically falling through the strom of feathers and wings. She'd never felt more desperate in her life but damn if there wasn't some fun hidden in all of this. When they saw the attacking armies of Above and Below in the air above the sleeping city of London, she had feared the worst but now her heart felt lighter and relieved because Azirphale and Crowley were still alive. Tired, bruised and most likely doomed to loose this battle, but they were alive.

'Sorry we're late!' She landed on the ground right next to them with a grin plastered over her face and swung her cricket bat to hit an attacking demon.

'Wha- How- Neera… What are you… I mean-' Crowley stammered.

'I wish you didn't come, dear girl.' Aziraphale shook his head sadly. 'This is really very dangerous.'

'We know,' Maggie nodded, 'Dee was discorporated. We wanted to warn you but you didn't answer the phone.'

Aziraphale and Crowley shared a worried look. Two lesser demons ran towards their little group but a hit from Neera's bat sent them flying away a few meters. She'd borrowed it from the sports club she was enrolled in. Well, Maggie helped _borrow it_. Which means it probably counted as stealing but Neera was an angel and stealing's not something angels do. But most angels also don't make friends with demons who'd offer to help them steal things, you see.

'Maggie!' Hanael warned the demon and she immediately ducked her head down. Hanael fired their water gun and the demon who stood behind Maggie, ready to attack, limped back a few steps, hissing from pain. Neera grinned. Holy water was a good idea and even if it's not enough to actually kill a demon, Hanael's perfect aim made sure it hurt like Hell.

Neera looked up. There was still so many of their enemies – a lot of them ones she'd been so proud to call her own kind once. She gulped and tried to ignore her heart beating so far up in her throat. She tightened her grip on the hilt of her bat.

Then Maggie grabbed her hand. 'There!' she cried out, pointing to something Neera couldn't exactly see. But then, she saw it. A familiar pair of golden wings and perfect golden curls. Iriel was there with the blade of her sword still darkened by blood. Dee's blood. Neera clenched her teeth.

Maggie was already halfway there, charging at Iriel. Neera called out to Hanael and followed the demon.

'Maggie?' Hanael cried out in confusion at first, but realising what their friend was about to do, their eyes went wide with fear. 'Wait!'

'Maggie, wait!' Neera tried to reason with her friend. Tried to reach her in time.

But she reached Iriel first.

Maggie hit Iriel with her strongest demonic magic. A second later, Neera and Hanael arrived. Iriel recovered from falling a few feet and rose to attack with her sword. It was met by Neera's bat and – by some incredible miracle – couldn't cut through it. Neera smirked.

Iriel countered, Hanael attacked. Then Maggie. And Neera. The four of them circled in the air, a tangle of wings and limbs and crackling magic and Neera lost track of up and down. There was a cut on her shoulder soon and the stinging pain only made her senses sharpen. Iriel was a higher angel but if they can exhaust her, the three of them might have a chance-

A laugh. Iriel laughed – a beautiful sound, like the tinkle golden bells – and broke free of their circle. Neera and Hanael backed down and finally saw it, saw the reason for Iriel's glee.

Maggie was falling.

Maggie was falling. Warm blood escaping her almost-human body. She wanted to scream, not only for how much she was hurting but because she was so worthless against Iriel. She couldn't pay back for Dee. She couldn't protect Hanael and Neera. No sound came out of her mouth, even though she wanted to scream because she was falling again.

"Maggie!" someone screamed and at the same time (or was that in the past, years and years ago?) the voice screamed another name. A name she no longer remembered. The name of an angel she no longer was.

She had burned back then. Burned while falling. No, Falling. But she had heard the voices from above and they were crying out her name. She's heard them since then too, on the worst of nights when she dreamt of the Fall. She only realised now how familiar those voices in her dreams and memories were. Voices of angels crying out for their Falling sister. Voices of Neera and Hanael.

Hanael-

Maggie thought she saw them, for a moment before her vision turned dark and she no longer felt anything but falling.

Neera froze, only her wings flapping to keep her in the air. She watched Maggie fall and Hanael diving to catch her. And she watched Iriel raising her sword and preparing to follow them and finish what she started. She saw the solemn smile on the angel's perfect face – and that's when her senses came back to her. Neera caught Iriel by surprise, she could barely dodge the attack of the lower angel's cricket bat.

"Niramel, come to your senses," Iriel said in a cold voice, shifting into a defensive position.

"It's Neera," she hissed. "And you know I won't."

Iriel shook her head serenely.

"So what are you going to do? Kill me too?" Neera cried out. "Like Dee and Maggie?"

"I wouldn't like to kill a fellow angel," whispered Iriel, gripping her sword tighter, "but you leave me no choice."

The sword striked, the blade of heavenly steel cutting through Neera's human weapon. Neera backed down from Iriel's charge and the remains of her cricket bat fell out of her hand. They probably arrived with a loud thump on the ground, somewhere close to where Hanael tried to do their best to heal Maggie or where Crowley and Aziraphale fought back to back for their lives, but Neera didn't hear it. The only sound she heard was the beat of her own foolish, unnecessary human heart. She'd never particurarly paid attentiont to it, but oh, what a rhythm it was. Neera breathed, moving to the rhythm and without thinking, she grabbed Iriel's sword. The blade didn't cut her. How could it, when she was forged in the same celestial fire once. (Or at least, she believed so. But that was enough.)

Iriel's eyes went wide with shock. Neera exhaled and tightened her grip on the blade. Then she took it from Iriel and changing her handling, she grabbed the hilt. The tip of the sword now faced its helpless former owner. Neera sighed a deep sigh and tried her very best to _not_ notice the shaking of her hands. This miracle was huge and it took a lot out of her. And the battle was far from over.

Grey wings swept over her and in the next second, Iriel was gone. Fled to safety or disappeared into another part of the battle. The angel now facing Neera was a far more powerful opponent. But even before her brain could register that she was about to fight the Archangel fucking Gabriel, Neera heard something from behind her back. Something that sounded like flies buzzing.

Trapped between her former boss and the Prince of Hell, her palms began to sweat.

"Scared, little angel?" Beelzebub buzzed.

Neera gripped the hilt of Iriel's sword tighter.

"Oh, I wouldn't call her that," said Gabriel casually. "Traitor, that's more fitting."

"Doezzzn't matter. She'll die anywayzzz."

Neera gulped. She felt small, smaller than ever before. Smaller than that night in St James's Park, smaller than tonight when she watched Dee die.

A soft palm grabbed her arm from below. Familiar white feathers rose next to her and Aziraphale was by her right side. And on the left, Crowley.

"Did anyone call for a traitor?" The demon's sunglasses were missing and the young angel could clearly see him wink at her. She laughed in surprise, and even if it was just a tired, huffed sound, it was laughter.

"Neera?" Aziraphale whispered while keeping his eyes – and the tip of his sword – on Gabriel. "Go."

"Wha-"

"I said go." Aziraphale glanced at Crowley quickly and both of them snapped their fingers. Neera blinked and when she opened her eyes, they disappeared.

Or rather, she disappeared. She was standing on the ground and high above her, she could see Crowley and Aziraphale glowing in their true forms as Gabriel and Beelzebub charged at them.

Neera prepared to take off before she realised her exhausted wings couldn't carry her weight anymore. A second later, her shaking knees gave in too.

She struggled to her feet and searched for her friends. She found Hanael and Maggie sheltered by the side of Crowley’s car, with their wings hidden away. Maggie looked… not too good. Hanael had put a hand on her wound and tried to heal her, a soft light on their palm.

“Neera?” the demon asked in a hoarse voice and tried to sit up to get a better look at her.

“Hi,” said Neera and dropped to her knees next to them.

“Neera, I knew you… both of you…”

“Maggie, if you don’t stop fidgeting around, I swear-” Hanael scolded her. Their eyes were closed and Neera could swear even the tip of their tongue was sticking out from concentrating so hard.

“But I remembered!” Maggie protested weakly. “We knew- we used to be friends… but no-now I’m… I’m a-”

“Yeah and we are friends again!” Neera rushed to grab her hand. “Isn’t that what matters, you stupid magpie?”

“Neera…” Hanael finally opened their eyes. But they didn’t look at her. Their gaze was fixed somewhere behind her back. “Neera, it’s…”

“What is it?” She turned around, trying to find what made Hanael so scared. And honestly? The Archangel Michael wasn’t so hard to spot.

Damn, cursed Neera quietly. Then she took Iriel’s sword again and stood to up to meet the angel who walked towards them with a whole lot of grace and no mercy at all.

-

Aziraphale really really wished he could be somewhere else now. He also had been quietly wishing to punch Gabriel in the face for quite a while and it looked like he might get a chance for that before dying.

Him and Crowley were cramped between Gabriel and Beelzebub's attacks and his flaming sword didn't seem to be much help.

"Angel, look out!" Crowley pushed him away from the Archangel's attack. Aziraphale found his balance quickly and turned to swing his sword at Beelzebub so they couldn't reach Crowley.

We can't keep doing this forever, thought Aziraphale. He was tired, so tired. But he was also desperate. Desperate and angry and terrified of the thought of what he would lose if they lost this battle.

He glanced at Crowley between dodging two attacks. His sunglasses were lost long ago and the angel could clearly see him look back, just for a fragment of a second. Aziraphale smiled, despite himself (and if they hadn't been in the middle of a heated battle, every angel in mile could have sensed the love that was packed into that one smile). Oh, Aziraphale had every reason to fight desperately.

Still, he feared his desperation alone wouldn't be enough. But, as it turned out, it didn't have to be.

As we all know, God does not play dice with the universe. Her Game is ineffable and ever-changing. And right now, it looks a bit like chess. Except for that thousand black and white pawns that seem to have decided to start moving on their own.

Aziraphale gasped. He froze and instinctively reached for Crowley's hand. The demon took it but didn't say a word. His mouth hang wide open as he stared at the hundreds of gateways opening from Above and Below and the thousand angels and demons flooding the sky above Soho, battling the others.

"WHAT IZZ THIZZ?" Beelzebub forgot about Crowley and Aziraphale in the blink of an eye. They left to demand an explanation from the newly-arrived demons but found themselves facing a small army. Gabriel started blinking in surprise.

"Uhh," he started but didn't seem like he knew how to finish the sentence.

"You'd best check on with head office, Gabbie," offered Crowley with a grin, still holding Aziraphale's hand. "Looks like things are getting out of hand. Again."

"He's right, Gabriel," Aziraphale said, simply raising his sword and not even trying to hide the smugness in his expression. Whatever happened was certainly in their favour and the angel was relieved beyond words. "Go."

Gabriel glared at them, then disappeared through a gateway. Crowley laughed. Aziraphale sighed with relief and using this tiny breathing space, he galnced at the ground to see what was up with Neera, Hanael and the injured Maggie.

And what he saw made his heart skip a beat. He squeezed Crowley's hand. Neera stood on the ground, staggering on her feet and holding a sword with the Archangel Michael barely a step away from her with her weapon ready to strike.

Crowley gaped. Everything seemed frozen until a gateway opened and familiar figure rushed through it, emerging from the earth. Dee snatched Neera's lost cricket bat from the ground and swung it right at Michael.

-

Dee?

Neera couldn’t believe her eyes seeing her friend here, and especially seeing that the demon coming to their rescue wasn’t alone. Hundreds of others came, gateways opening in the sky and in the earth.

“Neera!” Maggie’s voice called out to her. She was leaning on Hanael, staggering, fighting for every step but she seemed to be better. Neera struggled up to meet her two friends. “Neera, you’ve got to help him!”

“She’s right, Dee can’t take on Michael alone,” agreed Hanael.

Neera knew they were right. But God, she was tired.

“Here,” Maggie whispered and reached for Iriel’s sword. And when she touched it, the blade burst into flames. Both angels took a sharp breath as they felt the scorching heat.

Neera gripped the hilt tighter and ran. (How she still had the strength to run, only God knows.)

Dee wasn’t a powerless demon but Michael was an Archangel. She had defeated far more powerful ones before and Dee didn’t stand a chance. And Michael knew that, of course, and she gained the upper hand quickly, as she had probably expected. What she had no way of expecting however, was the blade of a flaming sword, appearing uncomfortably close to her neck.

“Leave him,” Neera tried to keep her voice cold but wasn’t certain she actually managed. “This is Hellfire. Leave him – or I’ll kill you.”

Michael stared at her and her sword for a few seconds with a curious look in her eyes. The lesser angel didn't lower her weapon and gazed into Michael's eyes with grace instead. They waited and Neera's heart beated uncomfortably loud inside her chest but then… then Michael snapped her fingers and disappeared.

Neera sighed with relief.

“Neera…?” Dee started hesitantly. “Is that really… Hellfire?”

The angel looked down on her sword and felt a cold run down her spine.

“Ye-yeah,” she stammered, “why, did yo-you think I was bluffing?”

Dee shook his head with a weary smile and took the sword from the girl’s hand. He blowed on it and put out the flames as if it was a simple birthday candle, then grabbed the angel's hand and pulled her into a tight hug.

Neera only now began to realise, to actually realise what’d just happened. And the fact, the tiny but very very significant fact, that they were alive.

-

"What the Hell just happened?" asked Neera from Dee, holding back a relieved snicker.

"Yeah, seconded," said Crowley seemingly annoyed but neveretheless delighted to see the fellow demon, "what the Hell just happened?"

Dee slowly let go of the bear hug he had embraced Hanael and Maggie in. "I can be quite convincing when I want to be," he said. "I talked with the hosts of Hell. And a lot of them agreed with me. Turns out, everyone's getting tired of the Downstairs. And Upstairs too. It's been coming on since the Apocalypse or even earlier. Now we decided to do something about it."

"Upstairs?" Aziraphale asked. "How did you…?"

"Backchannels. It took a couple calls but they listened to us in the end."

"There are backchannels?" Neera's eyes went wide.

"Of course there are."

"But you-you were discorporated…" Maggie said.

Dee pulled a face. "I got a new body. It usually takes months but I… uh… they speeded up the process a bit. They understood how important this was."

"How many…" Hanael looked through the angels and demons gathered around them, listening. "How many of us are there?"

"Well, it seems to me… about a thousand," said Aziraphale quietly.

"Wait," Maggie raised her voice. "A thousand? A thousand angels and demons in the middle of London? It's sunrise soon… Won-Won't the humans notice that?"

"They might," grimaced Crowley.

-

It didn't take much time to agree that the obvious solution was to leave the city until things settle down a little. And even though a thousand celestial beings teleporting away might have caused a little blackout in the electronics, the effect on the humans wasn't much bigger than a certain troublemaker demon's everyday activity.

The place they reappared was beautiful. A windy coast, stormclouds gathering on the East above the sea, almost but not quite hiding the light of the rising sun.

An emissary from Heaven and from Hell came in a few hours. They offered each and every traitor a chance to return and of course, to suffer the consequences but be forgiven after. A thousand voices declined the offer. A thousand angels and demons chose to remain in banishment, chose Earth, chose to be something other than what they were meant to be.

After they left, silence filled the beach and nothing distrubed it but the rain.

"Where are we anyway?" Neera asked quitely, taking in the smell of the rain that soaked them.

"It says here it's called…" Maggie squinted at her phone – Neera's phone – to get a better look at the map instead of zooming in (She still had a lot to learn). "It's called South Downs."

Neera nodded in thanks and shifted closer to her and Hanael to hold their hands. Dee put a hand on her shoulder and they looked over the rain pouring over the sea in silence.

"I like it here," said Crowley, nudging Aziraphale's elbow and raising a questioning brow at his angel.

"Me too," smiled Aziraphale back at him took his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me on tumblr @gayaziraphales or my main blog, @afuckindelighttobearound

**Author's Note:**

> chapter two will feature more ocs and more plot but if you read it so far, i already love you!!
> 
> find me on tumblr @afuckindelighttobearound or @gayaziraphales, my good omens sideblog


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